Habeas corpus is Latin for “show me the body.” In practice, it’s a legal tool that requires the government to prove it has legal authority to detain someone. If they can't prove it, the court can order the person’s release.

Most immigration lawyers practice in immigration court or help people apply for visas, green cards, and citizenship. That’s mostly work before administrative agencies. I’m a civil rights attorney who litigates in federal district court to challenge unlawful detention. It requires different expertise—federal court experience that most immigration lawyers don’t have.

No. Habeas litigation addresses unlawful detention—it gets people out of ICE custody. It doesn't stop deportation, restore green cards, or vacate deportation orders. Those require separate legal work, which I can connect you with trusted partners to handle.

It varies. Some people are released within weeks. Others take months. It depends on the specifics of the case and how quickly the court moves.

I charge a flat fee paid upfront. The amount depends on the complexity of your case. We'll discuss costs during our initial conversation after I’ve evaluated whether I can help.

If we lose in district court, we may be able to appeal. But I’m honest about when appeals make sense and when they don’t. Even if we lose, you’ll know your loved one’s story was heard and someone fought for them.

Your loved one is released from detention. But winning a habeas case doesn't stop deportation or remove a deportation order. Those cases require separate legal work. What happens after release depends on their individual situation. Some people need post-conviction relief, some need to reopen their immigration cases. I connect families with trusted partners for that work.

No, I’ve worked with individuals from all over the world, and I am happy to consider any case involving unlawful immigration detention for habeas litigation. However, I have honed specialized expertise serving longtime U.S. residents from Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Laotian communities who historically could not be deported in challenging the legality of their immigration detention. The history of refugee resettlement from the Vietnam War era in the United States has led to cycles of trauma and unmet needs for these communities, leading me to concentrate my efforts in supporting these communities.

No, I’m a solo practitioner offering specialized federal habeas litigation. I'm not a firm with a large team that can handle multiple aspects of your case simultaneously. That means you’ll work directly with me throughout your case, not a rotating team of attorneys and paralegals.

For post-conviction relief and immigration court work, I connect families with trusted partners who specialize in those areas.

Fill out the confidential intake form on my contact page with information about your case. I’ll review it and if it looks like a case I can help with, we’ll schedule a call to discuss next steps. Given the volume of inquiries, I unfortunately cannot respond to every submission. 

If you have a general inquiry, please use the general inquiry form on on my contact page.